Hello,
Wonder if anyone has successfully done this:
I want to add an Asus router behind the Livebox Play to take advantage of the more comprehensive features of the Asus (VPN, powerful wifi, etc.). Is it possible to use Livebox Play in a pure “modem” mode, with the DHCP being served by the Asus?
Any help welcome,
Yogesh
Not sure what you are trying to achieve to be honest…
Hi,
A number of things, starting with:
No, pretty certain this is not possible, but you don’t need to do so to use your Asus.
Yes, you should be able to disable DHCP on the livebox and use another device on your network for DHCP.
Yes, if you disable the Livebox Wi-Fi and have everything connect to the Asus you can configure it to route all traffic down a VPN.
Wouldn’t know - I use a separate access point with the Livebox Wi-Fi disabled, but that’s more to do with the fact that the Livebox is in a rubbish place to reach the whole house.
Rather depends how the VPN is set up, which won’t be anything to do with the Livebox.
Why not put the Asus router in place of the Livebox?
I use cloud now instead of NAS. I still have NAS backup but it’s belt and braces really unless the Apple and Microsoft servers farms all burst into flames.
Just turn everything off on the Livebox, attach it to the Asus by a Cat 5/6 cable and the Livebox disappears from your home LAN - the Asuz does everything. As Paul says it can do all the DHCP stuff etc. I’ve a similar set up two 4G routers behind a load balancing box, all my LAN sees is the load balancer, the routers are just the interface to the 4G network, as would you Livebox be to ADSL of fibre or whatever you’ve got.
Is it needed at all, can’t you use the modem in the Asus?
Yes and no.
If on ADSL yes - you just need to know the VPI/VCI to configure
If on VDSL same but need to know the VLAN tags
The above can be discovered on the 'net or by looking at the Livebox management web interface (I have them written down but in France so might as well be on the moon at the present moment).
If you take the VOIP or TV/set top box there will be extra config for the VLAN tags in use by those services - I did find notes on this online somewhere, I’m sure Google will find them.
But, to be honest it’s probably just as easy to leave the Livebox in situ - not having it there will complicate any fault reporting to Orange should you need to.
I don’t know Mat. Can you plug a phone line straight into a router. I’ve never tried. I’d say there’s some weird network specific stuff. I’ve done a 192.168.1.1 on carrier supplied boxes before but I haven’t fiddled with any WAN settings.
I agree, Orange might do firmware uploads, WAN password changes etc. Better to just use it as a dumb interface to the WAN IMO.
Pretty certain Fritz! have a router with a built-in VOIP ATA so you can plug a phone in.
I had a Zyxel xDSL router plugged in to the Orange phone line briefly when the line was initially configured but then discovered the only way to get VDSL was to take the TV package and, at that point, decided I might as well set up the set-top box and using the Livebox as the modem was the route of least pain.
Just an addendum on this - as I said I wouldn’t know about a specific model but the Asus won’t have “a more powerful radio” as the maximum output power is set in the regulations - but it might have better antennae, or use techniques such as beam forming to improve coverage and throughput.
I hadn’t thought of VDSL, for ADSL it was pretty easy to switch out the Livebox here.
Here, I’m assuming that you mean the wifi and DHCP server?
Yes, I should have said “more effective” - it’s got better antennae and uses a form of beam forming
Thanks for all the responses - I’m going to follow the advice of turning everything off on the Livebox and letting the Asus do all the work.
I’ll let you know how I get on…
I use my live box for everything in the house except for things that have geo restrictions, ie BBC Iplayer and other similar services. For those i have attached a mini router with a VPN, it gets its ip from the live box and happily uses its own DHCP for the VPN attached devices.
The mini router is intended for trips and remote use but works perfectly well for my needs.
Pic attached shows the live box on the right and the yellow box is the mini router with the VPN running on it.
To Peter Jackson,
Interesting post as it is what want to do. A few questions:
What is the model/supplier of the mini router?
Did you configure it or did come already with a VPN loaded?
Do you use your telephone attached to the Livebox?
Which Livebox is it?
Thanks and Regards.
@Reneh46
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